Apparatus for drying gases.



G. H. LEINERT.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

00000000 60 000000 ooooofi xnvo 00000000 60000009 3.83

5&5 a M 4 APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 191:3.

Patented 'Apr. 21, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEE'L 2.

Wawe

CHARLES H. LEINERT, or CHICAGO, rumors.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING GASES.

In my co-penoling application, Serial No.

700,637, filed May 31, 1912,I have described a form of cooling tower',which is used between the blowing engine and the hot blast stoves. In other words, the air is cooled after compression. I have found that this system is of particular advantage on account of the economies effected, since, in order to reducethe percentage of moisture in air at atmospheric pressure to a predetermined amount, the result may be'accomplished at a considerably higher temperature when the air is under compression than when it is at atmospheric pressure.

According to the system described in my co-pending application just mentioned, the air from the cooling tower passes to the stoves at the minimum temperature which the air attains in the cooling tower. It is then necessary to heat the air from this minimum temperature.

It is the object of the present invention to efl'ect economies by cooling the compressed air in the cooling tower to the minimum temperatureand then utilizing this cooled air for cooling the air as it first comes into the cooling tower,thereby relieving the cooling means proper within the tower of a certain amountof work, while'atthe same time the.

air which has been cooled to the minimum temperature is heated by the partial equalization of temperatures, and this air then passes to the hot blast stoves at a considerably higher temperature than is the case in the system described in my co-pending application previously mentioned. By the use of my improved coolin tower, therefore, notonly are economies e ected in cooling the air for the purpose of drying it, but also further economies result in the subsequent heating of the air in the hot blast stoves. These and other advantages of my invention will be more readily apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a pre- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed-May 21, 1913. Serial No. 769,034.

and 30 at-its, upperand lower ends,

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

ferred embodiment of my invention, and in whichably constructed of concreteor some similar .matenal.

This tank 11 is provided with a plurality of cooling coils 12 which are supplied with ammonia, brine or other well known cooling agent. It is by means of these coils that the liquid 13 accumulating in the tank 11 is cooled. In many cases the cooling action is such that the coils 12 become surrounded by ice 14.

The cooling tower 10 is supported at its bottom by the frame 15. The cooling tower is of a cylindrical shape and comprises a number of cooling and equalizing chambers which I will now roceed to describe. Immediately within the outer shell of the cooling tower 10 is located the outer equalizing zontal plate 17 and at its bottom by the horizontal plate 18. Extending between the plates 17 and 18 is a plurality of pipes 19, the ends of these pipes being received in suitable apertures in the plates 17 and 18.

' Inclosing the upper portion of the outer equalizing chamber 16 is the bustle pipe 20, which in turn communicates with the blowing engine through the pipe or conduit 21. A plurality of entrance pipes 22 establish communication between the bustle pipe 20 and the outer equalizing chamber 16.

Immediately within the outer equalizing chamber 16 is the outer cooling chamber 23, which communicates at its lower portion through the apertures 24 with the outer equalizing chamber. The outer cooling chamber 23 is provided'with a plurality of water sprays 25, which aresupplied with water at the temperature ordinarily found in lakes, wells or the like, through the pipe 26, which has the pump 27 communicating therewith. Immediately within the outer coolingchamber 23 is chamber -28havingthe horizontal plates'29 respectively. Thevertical pipes 31 extend betened in' suitable apertures in said plates.

the inner equali ing.

chamber 16, closed at its top by the horitween these plates and have their ends fas- The inner equalizing chamber 29 communicates with the outer cooling chamber 23 through a plurality of apertures 32. The moisture eliminators 33 are located within the outer cooling chamber 23 just below the apertures 32.

Inside of the annular inner equalizing with the equalizing chamber 28 through the apertures 35. This cooling chamber 34 is provided with a plurality of sprays 36, which are supplied with liquid by means of the pipe 37, which has communicating therewith the pump 38. The pipe 39 leads from the compartment 40 of the cooling tank 11 to the pump 38. The upper portion of the cooling chamber 34 is provided with the moisture eliminators 41. The upper end of the cooling chamber 34 is open and communicates with the space 42 inclosed by the cap 43, which extends over the upper ends of the equalizer chamber 28 and the inner cooling chamber 34.,

Immediately above the outer equalizing chamber 16 is the annular space 44, closed by the plate 45. The bustle pipe 46 .incloses the cooling tower just outside of this plate and communicates with the spacev 44 through the short pipes 47. A pipe 48 leads from the bustle pipe 46 to the hot blast stove. The pipes 19, extending through the "outer 1 equalizing chamber 16, communicate with the pipes 31 extending through the inner cooling chamber 28 through the con-. necting chamber 49 located below the lower end of the outer cboling chamber 23.

I will next describe the apparatus used for drainin the equalizing and cooling chambers. his apparatus is shown most clearly in Fig. 1 in connection with the outer e ualizing chamber 16. Apipe 50 leads rom the lower portion of the chamber 16. A 'three-wa valve 51 is located in the pipe 50. Attache to the movable portion of this valve is a trap 52, which hasthe link 53 pivotally attached thereto, this link in turn being connected with the lever 54'pivotally mounted on the frame 55. This lever carries at its outward end a counterbalan'cing weight 56. .It is therefore evident thatthe function of the weight 56 is to resist the downward movement-of the trap 52 The three-way valve 51 has communicating therewith the pipe 57 in communication with a source of compresed air. A pipe 58.1eads from the connecting chamber 49 to the threeway valve 51 and communicates therewith in the same manner as the pipe 50. The operation of this trap is as follows :i When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1,

. three-way valve 57. serves to aiford communication between pipes 50 and 58, on the one hand, and the trap 52, on the other, communic'ation between the trap 52 and the por-.

'The air being thus coole tion 59 of the pipe 50 located below the valve 51 being interrupted, while at the same time communication between pipe 57 and trap 52 is also interrupted. As water accumulates in the equalizing chamber 16 and the communicating chamber 49 in the manner presently to be described, this water will flow through the pipes 50 and 58 to the trap 52, in which the water will thus gradually accumulate. lVhen this trap is approximately half full of water, the adjustment of parts is such that the weight of the water causes the trap 52 to move downwardly, thereby rotating the valve 51 and interrupting communication between the pipes 50 and 58, on the one hand, and the trap 52, on the other, while at the same time communication is established between the pipe 57 and the trap 52, as well as between the latter and pipe 59 The compresed air now serves to expel the water from the trap 52, this water passing into the portion 59 of the pipe 50. From the pipe 50 the water passes to a drain, or, it pure water is used in the tank 11, the water from pipe 50 may be returned to said tank. After the water is expelled from the trap 52, the weight 56 serves to return this trap to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the water gradually again accumulates in the trap in the manner, previously described. The outer cooling chamber 23 is provided with one or more discharge pipes 60, which in turn have traps of the same type as the trap just described as being used in connection with the pipe 50. The inner cooling chamber 34 also has a discharge pipe 61 with an appropriate trap. The liquid from the sprays 36 within the inner cooling chamber 34 is returned through the discharge pipe 61 and its associated trap to the tank 11, while the liquid from the sprays 25 within the outer cooling chamber 23 passes through the discharge pipes 60 and their associated traps to a drain, unless both the outer cooling chamber 23, as well as the inner cooling chamber 34, is supplied with liquid from the tank 11, in which case the liquid from the outer cooling chamber is returned to the tank 11.

I will now describe the operation of my cooling tower as a whole: Compressed air from the blowing engine is admitted through the pipe 21 to the bustle pipe 20.and thence passes through the short pipes 22 to the upper portion of the outer equalizing chamber 16. j The air passes downwardly through ,this equalizing chamber, coming in contact with the exteriors of the pipes 19. The air passes from. the lower portion of the equalizing chamber 16 to the outer cooling chamber 23, through which the air now passes upwardly. and is subjected to the cooling action of the water coming throu h the sprays 25.

d, a considerable percentage of moisture is removed from the air. After passing through the moisture eliminators 33, the air nextpasses through the apertures 32 into the upperend of the inner equalizing chamber 28. The air passes downwardly through this chamber, coming in contact with the exteriors of the pipes 31. The air then passes through the apertures 35 into the lower end of the inner cooling chamthrough the inner cooling chamber"'34 in the manner just described and passing through the moisture eliminators 41, the air, whichhas now been cooled to its minimum temperature and has its moisture reduced to the desired percentage, passes into the space 42 and then downwardly through the pipes-31 of the inner equalizing chamber 28. Since the air which is passing through the equalizing chamber from the outer cooling chamber 23 to the inner cooling chamber 34 comes in contact with the exteriors of the pipes 31, the colder air passing through these pipes will serve, on the one hand, to cool the air passing from the outer cooling chamber to the inner cooling chamber, while at the same time the temperature of the air passing through the pipes 31 will be elevated, so that I an equalizing action takes place. From the pipes 31 the air next passes through the connecting chamber 49 to the pipes 19 and then upwardly through the latter, serving to cool the air passing from the bustle pipe 20 through the equalizing chamber 16 to the cooling chamber 23, at the same time the temperature of the air passing through the pipes 19 being elevated. From the pipes 19 the-air passes into the space 44 and then through the short pipes 47 to the bustle pipe 46. It then passes through the pipe 48 to the hot blast stoves, where it is heated to the desired temperature for use in the hot blast. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes could be made in the detailed construction of the various parts which I have described without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing any ofthe advantages thereof.

What I claim is:

In a drying apparatus, a substantially cylindrical cooling tower comprising a pair of annular equalizing chambers, chamber between said equalizing chambers, a second cooling chamber within the inner equalizing chamber, said equalizing and cooling chambers communicating with each other serz'atim, and a tending through each of said equalizing a cooling inner cooling chamber, whereby thefgas flowing from said inner chamber serves to cool the gas passing through said equalizing chambers to said cooling'chambers, substantially as described.

CHARLES H. LEINERT.

Witnesses:

THOMAS HENDERSON, S. J. LARSON.

plurality of pipes eX chambers and communicating with said 

